


Twenty is Awfully Young

by oncetherelivedaboy



Series: On A Strangers Doorstep [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Gen, Single-Parent AU, prequel to On A Strangers Doorstep
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 00:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oncetherelivedaboy/pseuds/oncetherelivedaboy
Summary: At 20 years old John thought he’d done a pretty decent job of setting up his life thus far, especially considering his Dad has kicked him out. He had a job, working on 12 or 24 hour shifts as a EMT, and an apartment to himself. Suddenly having a kid from a one-night stand almost a year ago was not part of his plan.





	Twenty is Awfully Young

At 20 years old John thought he’d done a pretty decent job of setting up his life thus far, especially considering his Dad has kicked him out. He had a job, working on 12 or 24 hour shifts as a EMT, and an apartment to himself. He was looking into finding a roommate, because of the full-time work he wasn’t home a whole lot and they could help with rent. He felt he was doing alright, and he even had a date planned for later in the week, Charles. They had the same schedules but he worked on a different rig than John. Charles had been the one to ask him to coffee in passing, making sure to make it clear he meant it as a date. His kitchen wasn’t the cleanest and he needed to wash his sheets. He knew very little about cooking so he mostly stuck to take-out or simple things, but he’d bought a cookbook so that he could atleast make attempts at real meals on the days he didn’t work. 

He got off the train a few blocks from his apartment, popping the collar on his coat to guard against the cold wind. His ears and nose were stinging by the time he entered the building. He shed the jacket in when he got to his apartment, draping it over the couch before heading towards the bathroom, he’d just gotten done with a twenty four hour shift. He was exhausted, his legs ached, his eyes burned and when he glanced in the mirror he saw the weariness on his own face. His hair, that he had tied back with precision to keep it out of the way was now a little over halfway down. He carefully removed the hair tie, and stripped down, turning on the water of the shower, not bothering to wait for it to heat up, the sting of the cold water woke him up a bit as he scrubbed his hair and skin 

He can feel the stubble on his cheeks but doesn’t trust himself with a razor in the moment. Leaving his clothes for a later time he wraps the same towel he’d used the day before to half dry his hair and then wrapped it around his waist. He opens the bathroom door, crosses the hall to his bedroom and crashes onto the bed. He’s asleep the moment his head hits the pillow, completely naked apart from the towel and on top of the comforter. 

He’s asleep less than an hour when the doorbell rings. At first he simply cover his head with the pillow, not realizing what the sound had been, people didn’t know where he lived and he hadn’t ordered any food. It rang again and again, and when he finally thought it had stopped and he’d be able to go back to sleep it rang again. 

John drew himself up off the bed, the towel fell to the floor and he cursed as he tried to find a clean pair of boxers, no need to get fully dressed to tell off someone who had the wrong apartment, he found them in a basket of clean clothes he had yet to put in the dresser. He was about half awake when he reached the door. 

Two people stood in his doorway, both in professional attire. John felt entirely underdressed in his own home. 

“John Laurens?” The woman who was closest asked him, giving him a once over, he probably should have put pants on. 

“That’s me, can I ask why you’re bothering me, I just got off a 24 hour shift. If you’re selling something, I’m good, and I’m not looking for religion at the moment.” He started to close the door again. 

“We’re social workers Mr. Laurens, we have important information regarding your daughter.” He looked at her dumbfounded, and noticed that the social worker behind her was carrying a baby carrier. 

“I don’t have a kid.” He said slowly. 

“Does the name Martha Manning ring any bells?” He swallowed, he hadn’t thought anything had come of the one night stand almost a year ago, he hadn’t known her last name but the timeline fit. 

“Fuck.” He whispered. “I didn’t mean to get her pregnant, is she ok? If she sent you regarding child support, I didn’t know…” 

“Mr. Laurens, can we come inside to discuss this.” He nodded, opening the door the rest of the way. He ushered them into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of the baby as the man holding the carrier passed. 

“Just give me a minute.” He ducked back into his room to pull on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. His hands were shaking. This couldn’t be real, this couldn’t be happening to him. It had been a one-time thing, his first time doing anything and this, this was a disaster. 

“Fuck, fuck fuck, fuck….” He was mumbling it to himself as he paced the bedroom. He felt sick, he stepped into the bathroom catching sight of the two in the kitchen as he crossed the hall. He splashed his face with cold water, patting it with the hand rag as he tried to get his bearings. This had to be a joke, some kind of prank, the odds of her actually getting pregnant were too low for this to be legit. He stepped back out, and reentered the kitchen. 

“Sorry about that, I just thought it best I have pants on.” 

“We’re in no rush Mr. Laurens.” The woman said as he sat down across from them, there was a quiet moment and then she leaned back. “There’s no easy way to say this, but Ms.Manning is gone. She gave birth and there’s footage of her leaving the hospital just a few hours later, she wasn’t cleared for check out and she made no attempt to collect Frances.” She gestured to the carrier. “She listed you as the father, is this possible or…” John nodded. 

“I didn’t know her last name when it happened, but the timing is right.” The woman nodded. 

“Would you like to see her?” John nodded and the man who’d been holding her lifted the baby gently form the carrier, and put her into his arms. Her eyes opened as he held her, and he didn’t mean to fall in love but maybe the sleep deprivation was a factor because he suddenly had a thousand plans, a thousand things to do to make things ready for her. She blinked and began to cry and the man went to take her again but John pretended he didn’t notice the hands coming to take her, instead bouncing her gently. 

“How old is she?”

“Four days.” The woman sighed lightly. “Mr. Laurens, how old are you?” He swallowed. 

“Twenty.” She waited, as if expecting another number to follow it. 

“Twenty is awfully young to be a father.” He nodded, still looking at Frances, dark curls covered the top of her head. “No one will fault you for putting her up for adoption. Everyone looking to adopt wants a baby, she’d have no trouble…” 

“No.” 

“This is no small decision.” John nods. 

“I know, I just can’t imagine giving her to someone else.” He sees the social worker smile. 

They leave, taking her with him a promise to return in a couple of days so that he has time to find a crib, and formula and a carrier, the things you need to take care of a baby. He finds a crib secondhand but buys a new mattress for it. Converts the room he’d been using for storage and had planned to turn into a bedroom for a roommate, into a simple nursery. He stocks up on formula, diapers, baby soap and powder and bottles. He picks up clothes from a secondhand store and gets a few toys, he even finds someone to watch her when he has to work. 

When they return he’s cleaned the apartment as well. The paperwork is filled out, and it takes them less than a half hour to go through everything. He doesn’t think it all really hits him until the door closes behind them and he’s left alone with Frances in her carrier, sleeping quietly. Even then though, it isn’t really until that night, when he lies her down in the crib and exits the room. The cry permeates throughout the whole apartment, a wail that sounds like bloody murder. He calms her down and tries again to leave her in the nursery but the moment he moves from above the crib it’s as if the world has come crashing down. He resigns himself to lie on his bed with her on his chest, she drifts to sleep with ease, and so does he. It was unintentional and he startles awake, scared that something happened, that he could have possibly rolled over but she’s still just fast asleep on her chest. He brushes her lips to her head, and she curls her fist around one of his fingers. 

He’s scared and young and he’d never planned on having kids, but even just a night into his new life as a father he isn’t sure how he ever managed without her. 

**Author's Note:**

> I FINALLY POSTED A THING!!! I want to add another chapter or two to this and then hopefully get some more done for the third larger installment of this series (it's currently in the works).  
> You can find me at oncetherelivedaboy.tumblr.com


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